Blooming Lotus

Halloween is upon us and as we dive deeper into Spooky Season, we also want to be sure to stay safe during the festivities! I’ve teamed up with the City of San Antonio and San Antonio Metro Health to share some tips to have a fun and safe time during Ole’ Hallows Eve. Whether you plan on enjoying outdoor activities like the Corny Maze or Hay Rides, going out Trick-or-Treating or attending/hosting a fun costume party, here are some tips to ensure a safe and healthy time.

Safer Trick or Treating Tips

1. Stay home if you are sick.
2. Parents and children should wear appropriate face coverings if going out to trick-or-treat. Halloween masks are not adequate protection. 
3. Limit the size of your group to those within your household.
4. Maintain a distance of six feet or more between other groups.
5. Bring hand sanitizer and use it frequently.
6. Avoid going inside other homes.
7. Only enjoy pre-packaged treats and avoid buffets or shared food.
8. Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds when you return home.

Safer Ways to Hand out Treats

1. Don’t hand out candy if you or someone in your household is sick.
2. Participate in distanced trick-or-treating by not requiring trick-or-treaters to come to your door.
   a. Prepare individually wrapped goodie bags or leave individually wrapped candy for families to grab and go on a disinfected table at the end of a driveway or the edge of a yard.
   b. Be sure to disinfect the table periodically
3. When preparing goodie bags, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after.

Safer Adult Halloween Activities

1. Don’t go out if you are feeling sick.
2. Limit gatherings with people outside of your household. If you plan to host or go to a Halloween party, plan an outdoor gathering as opposed to an indoor gathering.
   a. Gathering in small groups is safer
   b. Avoid beverages from the shared punch bowl and buffet-style food
   c. Avoid crowded indoor parties, especially going into haunted houses or hayrides where people may be screaming
3. Wear appropriate face coverings if going out to trick-or-treat. Halloween masks are not adequate protection. 
4. Avoid using drugs and alcohol.

Please stay safe, friends. Remain vigilant by protecting yourself, your family, and the community. For more information, residents are encouraged to visit Metro Health’s COVID-19 Halloween website:  covid19.sanantonio.gov/Halloween

This post is sponsored by the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health COVID-19 Task Force. All opinions are my own.